My new Japanese suribachi bowl - for lathering.

Discussion in 'General Shaving Talk' started by IAmTheJody, Sep 12, 2012.

  1. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    I finally got around to visiting one of my local Asian grocery markets 2 weeks ago and.. finally bought myself a suribachi bowl. It wasn't a dollar but it wasn't crazy expensive either for an authentic made-in-Japan suribachi bowl: 14 dollars.

    For those not in the know, suribachi bowls are used in the kitchen to grind seeds and make pastes for cooking and eating. It's a Japanese version of the mortar and pestle. The usual pestle that comes with it is called surikogi and is made of wood, generally (at least, authentic ones anyway) from the sanshō tree (Japanese pricklyash). Obviously, the pestle wouldn't be used in shaving... unless you have some dried up soap you want to grind into powder?

    I absolutely love it the suribachi bowl. It does wonders making that awesome lather. I'll never use any other type of bowl or scuttle again.

    Jody Approved.

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    MObigfoot, Demidog, 45auto and 15 others like this.
  2. 178-bplatoon

    178-bplatoon Well-Known Member

    :signs154: Beautiful bowl Jody. The inside is certainly different is the bowl made of ceramic? Would you know if any come in a smaller diameter?
     
    IAmTheJody likes this.
  3. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    Thank you. Yes, it's ceramic but the inside is left unglazed so it has that rough texture. The rough texture and the comb pattern are what makes the lather explode. They do come in smaller sizes.
     
  4. Ryan B

    Ryan B Knight of the Soapocracy

    Awesome score man. I have to find the Asian grocery store in my neck of the woods. I know they exist, they're just on the down low!
     
    IAmTheJody likes this.
  5. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    I like it. Nice!
     
    IAmTheJody likes this.
  6. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    About time you gave in. keep the other stuff around though, you may want to use it from time to time. I use a suribachi bowl about 90% of the time, and I'm waiting for a scuttle manufacturer to see one of these and actually make a suriscuttle. It's my million dollar idea, but I don't work with pottery. I have, once or twice, used a large cereal bowl as a base and make an impromptu scuttle out of mine, but it's just not worth the effort to do it daily.
     
  7. IAmTheJody

    IAmTheJody Gillette-i Master Staff Member

    I leave mine in a sink of hot water while I'm taking my shower. It keeps it warm and the lather warm for the shave.
     
  8. alpla444

    alpla444 That's sweet!

    Nice, no shops like that near me but I will have a good look for one as I tend to use a scuttle when using creams and I have a lot of creams. Soaps I tend to face lather.
     
    IAmTheJody likes this.
  9. HoosierTrooper

    HoosierTrooper Steve-less in Indiana

    I love my $1 special suribachi, it's an outstanding lather making machine.
     
    IAmTheJody likes this.
  10. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    I find the 4"-5" bowl to be the ideal size. Jody's looks like a 6"-7" bowl. Suribachi bowls come in about four or five standard sizes and I've seen some absolutely huge ones as well.
     
    MObigfoot likes this.
  11. raag

    raag Member

    WOW! I love it.
     
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  12. johnus

    johnus Well-Known Member

    Fantastic aren't they. Use mine every day.
     
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  13. Bird Lives

    Bird Lives Future Root Beer King of Turkey

    Wow! Coolness has once again been acheived at Jody's Shave Cave....;)
    I want one now...keeping it in the sink of hot water sounds like just the ticket with the arrival of Autumn...Monster Idea.
     
    IAmTheJody likes this.
  14. Slipperyjoe

    Slipperyjoe Rusty Metal Tetanus

    Great lather bowl idea! Looks like a great shape..kinda narrow bottom with a wide top. And you can even whip up a batch of surbatchi..:D

     
    IAmTheJody likes this.
  15. Lothar101

    Lothar101 Active Member

    Looks Great! Amazon has them!
     
  16. johnus

    johnus Well-Known Member

    Still used mine every day. Great for all soaps and creams!
     
  17. Monkeylord

    Monkeylord The Lather Lord

    It looks really nice, enjoy it ;)
     
  18. Stubbles

    Stubbles New Member

    That certainly looks attractive. It reminds me of an idea I had to add texture to a bowl or mug to help generate a lather easily.

    I thought some coarse sand/grit stuck to the inside using an epoxy resin might work... Now I'll just look out for one of these bowls.
     
  19. Erik Redd

    Erik Redd Lizabeth, baby, I'm comin' to join ya.

  20. bittermormon

    bittermormon Active Member

    is there any concern with the roughness damaging your brush at all?
     

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